Sleep paralysis

[Pretty Boy]

Anyone else ever had this?

Had it for the first time this morning and can honestly say that it was the most terrifying experience of my life.

Heard a 'whooshing' noise in my ears and felt a heavy pressure on my stomach and chest and obviously panicked. Went to get out of bed and couldn't move at all, tried to shout to my girlfriend and succeeded in making a few gurgling noises. Could only have been like this for a minute or two but seemed like hours.

Phoned the doctor right away who said it sounded like sleep paralysis and said it's really quite common. He said if it became a regular occurence to make an appointment, He said it can sometimes cause hallucinations and has even been used to explain alien abductions.

Properly terrifying though as i was convinced i was having a stroke or heart attack and was dying. Anyone got any stories to share?

[heretoday]

Blimey! I don't like the sound of that. I occasionally get a dizzy spell when I raise my head up from the pillow too quick (not a frequent occurrence!).

I have to lower my head gently again. It's quite alarming sometimes.

[Speedy]

Never had that but I've been spewing and pissing out my arse all day. Worst thing is that I'm on the first day of annual leave from work and had a whole day planned out

[Wembley67]

Yup, I get it frequently but you get used to it after many years. When you actually get to the stage when you feel a dark shadow standing over you getting closer and closer its rather intense but don't struggle and let it come to you and you'll wake up. It is proper pant wettingly scary though! Enjoy...

[SRHibs]

Yeah, I don't get the typical 'dark shadow' thing, but what I do get are auditory hallucinations. I'll hear my door opening and I'll feel the presence of someone else in the room with me. Unsettling to say the least. Also, when I'm in that state, if I close my eyes I'll see a kaleidoscope of colours - not sure why.

Along with sleep paralysis, I also get wake panic attacks. Basically, I wake up hyperventilating - mid-panic attack. Again, it's quite scary.

[Woody1985]

Never had that but I've been spewing and pissing out my arse all day. Worst thing is that I'm on the first day of annual leave from work and had a whole day planned out

Depending on your employer. If you get a doctors line you should get the holiday back. If you're a tradesman you're probably screwed.

[Woody1985]

I've had sleep paralysis when I was about 20. I started getting it when I came to end of a few years on grinego. **** myself, not literally, and thought I was having a stroke and couldn't move.

Scary ****.

[Sodje_18]

Is this when you're sleeping and you just stop breathing and can't seem to wake up? If so I've had this twice and it's ****ing scary. You try and force your eyelids open and try and rock side to side but you don't seem to break out of it. Both times I had this I genuinely thought I could die, any idea why this happens? Or is it just random?

[Twa Cairpets]

Don't envy any of you guys this, sounds horrible.

Thought this (http://skeptoid.com/episodes/4008)may be of interest by way of a bit of diversionary reading - its a bit about how sleep paralysis has been mistaken for all kinds of supernatural activity.

[Sodje_18]

Don't envy any of you guys this, sounds horrible.

Thought this (http://skeptoid.com/episodes/4008)may be of interest by way of a bit of diversionary reading - its a bit about how sleep paralysis has been mistaken for all kinds of supernatural activity.
Very intresting to see that different cultures have different 'attackers', I s'pose it must have started from story telling and then the hallucinations (sp?) were based on their thoughts/memories. Never had the hallucinations before but it's certainly bad enough without them, couldn't imagine dealing with that whilst seeing the 'old hag'

[Wembley67]

Very intresting to see that different cultures have different 'attackers', I s'pose it must have started from story telling and then the hallucinations (sp?) were based on their thoughts/memories. Never had the hallucinations before but it's certainly bad enough without them, couldn't imagine dealing with that whilst seeing the 'old hag'

My hallucination was/is always a man in a black mask and black cape...reminds me of zorro - maybe I had my first episode after watching zorro as a wee laddie. Your right though it is interesting how it changes with cultures but the concept remains the same.

[Diclonius]

Had it as long as I can remember, thought it was just a normal occurence for everyone until I looked it up last year.

Pretty terrifying but tbh it's just second nature to me now.

[Westie1875]

Yeah, I don't get the typical 'dark shadow' thing, but what I do get are auditory hallucinations. I'll hear my door opening and I'll feel the presence of someone else in the room with me. Unsettling to say the least. Also, when I'm in that state, if I close my eyes I'll see a kaleidoscope of colours - not sure why.

Along with sleep paralysis, I also get wake panic attacks. Basically, I wake up hyperventilating - mid-panic attack. Again, it's quite scary.

This is what happens to me when I get it, I feel a desperation to wake up or scream and can't move or open my eyes. More often than not if it happens to me it is when I've fallen asleep during the day or when I'm not in my own bed. Can be a very weird and terrifying experience. :bitchy:

[Speedy]

Depending on your employer. If you get a doctors line you should get the holiday back. If you're a tradesman you're probably screwed.

You're probably right but not worth the hassle and I wouldn't like them to think I'm taking the piss just in case I am ill again any time soon.

[hibeedonald]

i get this all the time, particular after a bad sleeping pattern, its scary but you can still think at the same time and tell yourself that its fine, had some weird hallucinations though.

[Lucius Apuleius]

Hmm, if you lot had been older I would have put it down to LSD flashbacks :greengrin

[Hibernian Verse]

I used to have this when I was wee, I think between the ages of 10-12. I grew out of it, or it at least stopped but it was a horrible experience. They usually went along the lines of me being able to get outside my room, but not be able to make any sound whatsoever. I'd then become static in my hall outside my parents room trying my hardest to make any noise and ending up only being able to make a breathy sound while knowing my parents were only a few feet away but unable to hear me.

Horrible experience.

[Ed De Gramo]

Had it once about 2 years ago. It was almost as if someone of something heavy was lying across my legs. Scary stuff likes.

[dHFCe]

I used to get it regularly a while back.

The first time i seriously thought i was being held down by something paranormal lol. Very fightening but you do get used to it.

After a while i learned to bring myself out of it a lot faster by breathing steadily and staying calm.

[.Sean.]

Had it once about 2 years ago. It was almost as if someone of something heavy was lying across my legs. Scary stuff likes.
The very same thing happened to me a few months back mate :agree:

[Hibrandenburg]

Doesn't happen to me often but when it does all I need to do is blink an eyelid and its gone. Have actually grown to enjoy the challenge. Not really scary anymore.